CONNOLLY’s Red Mills presented the FEI European eventing championships for Young Riders and Juniors in Millstreet last weekend while also continuing their valued support of the Irish Pony Club eventing series.
Two legs of the popular League were held on Sunday with the United running at the north east Co Cork venue of Ballindenisk where they staged an Open qualifier for the Pony Club championships in England.
The Westmeath Branch had three riders forward but that number was reduced to two when a disappointed Megan O’Leary retired Silver Brogue on the cross-country course.
Her teammates, sisters Louise and Emma Kennedy, did their best to claim individual honours and, at the conclusion of the three phases, were only separated by .5 of a penalty point.
Louise, who led the 13-runner field after dressage on Ginger (26.5), picked up four show jumping penalties and one for time across the country. Riding Nauvoo, Emma was second following the flat work phase (29) and went into the lead with a clear show jumping round.
However, three time penalties over the fixed fences were to prove expensive as Nicole Lynch took the spoils when completing on her flat work mark of 31.5. The South Union Branch member rode the nine-year-old Nigrasine gelding Chasmarella on whom she has competed in five home international events.
Wexford’s Maria Cairns wasn’t far off the lead when finishing on her dressage score of 33.8 with Sahara Breeze.
Lynch also claimed the Novice Intermediate on the five-year-old chesnut mare Sleady Castle Mona, while the Carberry Branch initiated a hat trick when Cora Hurley landed the 31-runner Intermediate class with the nine-year-old Vechta mare Maytata (30.5). Representing East Galway, Katie Naughton was close up in second 30.8 with Cruising Caricello.
There was a close result also in Section B of the Juniors where the Duhallows’ Anna Cronin and Kilbeg Tommy (22.5), who also compete under Eventing Ireland rules, narrowly held off the challenge of Tipperary member Leah Coen on Droma Joey (23).
BETTER LUCK
The Tipperarys had better luck in Section C, where Tom Hayden took the honours riding the Connemara mare Gallows Heather Dew, a seven-year-old by Currachmore Cashel, while Section A was claimed by West Waterford’s Charlotte Dangerfield on board the 16-year-old skewbald Kileatin Top Cat.
A double for the Carberry Branch was brought up by Orna Mahony on Flicka in the Novice Junior class while Jessica Grogan made it a superb day for the club when landing Section A of the Under 12s’ competition on the 20-year-old mare Mighty Atom.
Nenagh’s Ali O’Brien came to the fore in Section B riding Mourne Mystery, while the Scarteen Branch recorded a win in Section C through Lara Lillingston and Super Auntie Sally.
Mullybrannon Diamond, who also competes successfully under Irish Pony Society rules, won an Intermediate class at Grove under Sadhbh Springate whose brother Cian was in the saddle when the nine-year-old Dario gelding landed Section B of the Intermediate at Coolboy last Sunday.
The combination, who added 0.8 of a cross-country time penalty to their winning dressage score of 27.3, represented the Kildare Branch whose Neassa Fitzgerald recorded the same time with Glenmullen Caveat on the final leg in Section A.
However, on a total of 40.3, they had to settle for second place behind Island Branch member Hannah Mooney and the 11-year-old Enoville Lad gelding Enoville Jack Sparrow whose completion score of 38.1 included four show jumping penalties and 6.8 for time across the country.
JUNIORs
The Junior competition was divided into two well-filled sections with the League leaders, Caitroin Doyle and Garryfine Cross of the Island Branch, being narrowly beaten into second (31) in the first half by Emily Barrett of Wicklow and her 14-year-old grey mare Sheika Of Killowen (29.5).
In Section B, the result was even closer, Tara Wakeham of Wexford claiming the honours with Darcy Roxy Girl (29.8) ahead of Jude Donohoe of Carlow riding Casper’s Midnight Dream (30).
Donohoe’s clubmate Rachel Carr totally dominated Section A of the Under 12s’ competition when completing on her amazing dressage score of 7.3 penalties with Araglen Bucks Fizz while, in Section B, Zoe Bolton of Meath also recorded an all-the-way success on Killough Benedict (25.5).
Sunday’s event at the Tinahely Riding Club grounds was hosted by the Shillelagh Branch.
Following this weekend’s Festival in Mullingar, eventing action resumes next Saturday at Monart with the final two qualifiers in this year’s Red Mills series taking place the following day at Kilguikey House and Corbeagh House.